[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
Ford to expand Lincoln production in U.S.
SUV is the only model the automaker ships from China to U.S.
The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus on display at the 2023 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/Bloomberg)
Key Takeaways:
- Ford said it will stop importing Lincoln Nautilus SUVs from China and expand Lincoln production in the United States beginning in 2030.
- The Nautilus has been Ford’s only China-built model sold in the U.S. and the company sold nearly 34,000 of them last year.
- The shift follows pressure from President Donald Trump, whose higher tariffs on imported vehicles and parts aimed to encourage more U.S. production.
Ford Motor Co. will stop importing the one model it ships into the U.S. from China, with the automaker shifting production of Lincoln sport utility vehicles to its home market.
The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker said Aug. 12 it will expand Lincoln output in the U.S. beginning in 2030. It has imported the Lincoln Nautilus SUV from China since 2024.
When Ford announced plans about three years ago to import the Nautilus from Hangzhou, where it’s built via a joint venture with China’s Changan Automobile, the carmaker cited a lack of available capacity in North America. The Ontario plant that used to assemble the SUV was retooled to make other models.
Ford sold almost 34,000 Nautilus SUVs in the U.S. last year, making it a modest seller. By comparison, the automaker delivered nearly 829,000 F-Series pickups, plus almost 223,000 Explorers and more than 146,000 Broncos in 2025.
President Donald Trump has heaped pressure on automakers to re-shore more production to the U.S., imposing higher tariffs on imported cars and parts.
